PUBu 2009 Will Shift To Multiple Online Webinars
ECPA’s Educational Event Will Offer More Affordability and Flexibility Next Year


11/21/2008, Phoenix, AZ -- The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announces today that its popular Publishing University (called PUBu) will move from a one-time physical event to multiple online webinars for 2009. This year’s PUBu, held November 2-4 in Chicago, was successful and well-attended, receiving high marks from attendees. Yet economic turbulence within the industry signals that a change might be best for 2009.

“We are pleased we had very little attrition for PUBu attendance this year, particularly given the economy,” says ECPA President Mark Kuyper. “But we’ve heard from publishers this next year is expected to be tough financially. We knew there would be challenges in budgeting dollars for travel and continuing education, so we created an affordable alternative for cutting-edge training.”

In the five years of PUBu’s history, the response from attendees, presenters and sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive. “This change is not a reflection of the historical performance of PUBu as a conference,” adds Kuyper. “We have seen tremendously positive feedback from our members, up to and including this year’s conference.”

The webinar format will allow ECPA to tailor the subject matter to meet pressing industry needs, recruit previously unavailable (or higher-profile) presenters and schedule the seminars quickly.

Michael Covington, ECPA’s Information & Education Director, further explains the change: “Our goal is to provide these seminars at low and/or no cost to our members so they can gain valuable educational and training opportunities, without the necessity of being away from the office and the added expense of travel and higher registration costs.”

ECPA will re-work its sponsorship program for PUBu 2009, allowing companies to target its sponsor messages to decision makers. PUBu could return as an on-site educational event in 2010 or later.

ECPA will still hold its 2009 Executive Leadership Summit on April 26-28 in Carlsbad, California, soon following the Christian Book Expo in Dallas, Texas, during March 2009. Both events will provide the valuable element of one-on-one networking and connecting with peers that the industry values as important features of ECPA’s onsite events, that cannot be replicated online.

ECPA will announce details about the upcoming 2009 PUBu online webinars and sponsorships in early January.

# # #